Trump disqualified from Illinois election by court order

(Patria) - An Illinois state judge on Wednesday barred Donald Trump from appearing on the state's Republican presidential primary ballot due to his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, but delayed the enforcement of her ruling in light of the former U.S. president's expected appeal, Reuters reported.

Cook County Judge Tracie Porter sided with Illinois voters who argued the former president should be disqualified from the March 19 primary and the November 5 general election ballot for violating the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment anti-insurrection clause.

The final outcome of the Illinois case and similar disputes will likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments on February 8. Porter said she was delaying her ruling because she anticipated his appeal to the Illinois appellate courts and a potential U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The advocacy group Free Speech For People, which led the disqualification effort in Illinois, praised the ruling as a "historic victory."

A spokesperson for Trump's campaign, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, said it was an "unconstitutional ruling that we will be appealing quickly."

Colorado and Maine previously removed Trump from their state ballots after finding him disqualified under Section 3 of the Constitution's 14th Amendment. Both decisions are on hold as Trump appeals.

Section 3 prohibits anyone who has taken an oath to support the U.S. Constitution and then "engaged in insurrection or given aid or comfort to its enemies" from holding public office.

On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters attacked police and swarmed the Capitol in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. Trump had previously given a fiery speech to supporters, telling them to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell." He then failed to act for hours on requests to tell the crowd to stop. The Supreme Court is currently considering Trump's challenge to his disqualification in Colorado.

Justices in Washington appeared skeptical of the ruling during oral arguments in the case, expressing concerns about states taking broad action that could affect a national election.